Lakey-bakey

One more delicious Olympic memory before I steer things back to reality…

Ok, moving on. We stayed at the lake house recovering from the Olympics from Wednesday, July 3rd  to Friday the 5th. We spent Independence Day there with my parents, Brad and Dani, and Steph, Jasen, and Layne (Mel was at EFY). We kayaked and ate and relaxed. We watched an amazing panorama of fireworks from the large windows of the lake house. There was no organized fireworks show, but most of the houses around the lake were launching fireworks for hours and hours that evening. Jeff and I laid in bed and fell asleep watching fireworks through our windows. It was decadent.

The view from our bed. Pure vacation. I didn’t want to leave.

Steph, Jasen, and Layne got in some good kayak time. It was warm one day and chilly one day and half warm half chilly the last day we were there.

I took both kids in one kayak. It was heavy and hard to steer, but we had a good time together out there.

We went in the boat and watched Brad, Dani, and my Dad get up on one ski. Boats make me queasy. But the expert skiers of the family rocked it. My Dad only bought one ski so if I decide to ski this summer, I’ve got to branch out of my 2 ski comfort zone.

It was actually chilly in the wind on the boat—as I sit here in the sizzling Yakima Valley typing this, I can hardly believe it. I have to mention these sweet jackets that Jay and Rose have on here. I got them online from Eddie Bauer in June for 75% off—that’s less than a rain jacket costs at Target! And ten times the quality. Score.

Ha ha, wedgie life jackets. The crotch clip actually helped keep Jay’s swim shorts on, little skinnyhips.

On Friday morning, I rounded up all of our STUFF and Jeff expertly packed it into the Civic. Next time we go out and about, I hope we only have to pack for one trip instead of four (trek, a weekend at the Brown house, camping, and a few days at the lake house). The Civ can only handle so much.

A good thing about the lake house is it’s got easy access to Washington’s most scenic mountain pass: Chinook Pass. We drove through it on our way home. Gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier at every bend in the road.

Along Chinook Pass, there are tons of places to pull off and hike. We picked the Tipsoo Lake trailhead for an easy one mile loop, a last hurrah to the cool tree’d mountains before descending back into the desert of doom. But alas, in keeping with our whole week of adverse trail conditions, the Tipsoo Lake one mile loop trail was covered, not in mud, but in snow so we couldn’t really find much of it. We took a 20 or 30 minute stroll-slip-scramble through the snow and then jumped back into the car.

This is picture #9999 on my camera! Then the numbering started over at 0001. It’s been 2 years minus one month since I got my beloved camera. I think I’ve been using it well.

The snow was melting in rivers up there. We managed to find some bits of trail to walk on here and there.

Oh, trees. I love you.

We came to this bridge/entrance to the park and watched the cars drive through for a bit.

The picnic tables by the parking lot were buried.

SNOW in July? Unbelievable, especially after we got home to the 90+ degree intensity. We quickly discovered that our AC was dead as a doornail. Sweaty is the word. We are so excited to spend our savings on air conditioning (ahem, sarcasm).

Poor sweaty flushed sleepy cheeks.

Jay couldn’t bear the heat in his room so he tried to escape one night, and fell asleep in the hall (which was not cooler than their room). Isn’t this just pathetic? I feel SO BAD for my dear little kids.

We tried to get them into some cooler PJs after that first hot night. Enter: Mommy’s old t-shirts. They may actually be hotter because there is definitely more fabric on them. At least it’s loose and flowy fabric. When they wear these, Jay and Rose are like little brightly-colored ghosts running around.

I grew up sleeping in giant t-shirts. It brings me back…

    
[baby Kyle; little Shaina, little Em, and baby Brad]